Peru will play Bolivia in the Copa America 2015 quarter finals on Thursday night, with the reward for victory in tonight's game being a semi final match up with host nation Chile on Monday. Tonight's big game has a scheduled start time of 7.30 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the beIN Sports network, or online through live stream via the link below.
Peru come into today's game as favourites to progress. The team has a rock solid defense and finished in 3rd place at the 2011 Copa America, and they will be confident of navigating their way past Bolivia in today's game.
Peru kicked off their Copa America 2015 campaign with a loss on June 14, although they were extremely unlucky not to come away with a draw. Brazil were able to score a last gasp winner to claim a 2-1 victory, and Peru will feel that result was tough on them and that they should have come away with more than they got.
However, Peru were able to bounce back in their second game, claiming a victory over Venezuela and keeping a clean sheet in the progress. That 1-0 win put their campaign back on track, and also meant that a final group game 0-0 draw against Colombia was enough to put them through to the knock out stages.
They will be satisfied at the back after keeping two consecutive clean sheets, however, they will also know that they need to find more penetration up front.
Bolivia striker Marcelo Martins has compared the Peru team's style of play as similar to Italy's; where their game very much starts with their defense and builds from there. Both sides defend very well and look to punish opposition teams more on the counter or with slow build up play.
Martins has said, They are a team that resemble Italy, who will score goals if you let them. They've progressed by playing very well and they have players who can hold the ball up."
Bolivia could prove a difficult opponent today, although it may very well depend on which Bolivia team turns up; the one that claimed a 0-0 draw with Mexico and an enthralling 3-2 win over Ecuador, or whether it will be the one that was demolished 0-5 by Chile.
However, Martins believes they have at least a solid 50-50 chance of going through to the semi finals today. He said, "We are surprised we've reached the knockout stages but we have done so because this Bolivian team have shown a dramatic improvement. The odds of either side winning this match are the same, and it will be hotly contested. We have a good chance."
Meanwhile, Peru will be looking to play to their potential, and will be hoping that former Bayern Munich striker Paolo Guerrero can hit form. So far at the Copa America 2015 tournament he has been quiet, but is someone who can add that something Peru have been missing up front. He scored five at the last tournament which took place in Argentina, and if he can recapture that form then he could make the difference today.
Tonight's big Copa America 2015 game between Peru and Bolivia has a scheduled start time of 7.30 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the beIN Sports network, or online through live stream by clicking here.
